The present invention relates to processes for the catalytic asymmetric reduction of enamines.
Processes that economically and efficiently produce enantiomerically enriched organic compounds are of great interest since these compounds are widely used as pharmaceuticals and specialty chemicals. More specifically, reactions that reduce enamines to yield enantiomerically enriched amine products are commercially quite significant as they can be used in the large scale preparation of pharmaceuticals and specialty chemicals. Thus, the effectiveness and economy of such reduction reactions are important considerations.
Currently, there are no known methods of producing enantiomerically enriched products by hydrogenation of those enamines that are 1,1-disubstituted olefins. Such methods would be useful in many synthesis reactions to provide enantiomerically enriched amines.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide an economical and efficient processes for asymmetrically reducing certain enamines.
It is thus an object of the invention to provide economical and effective processes for the asymmetric reduction of enamines that are 1,1-disubstituted olefins. Another object is to provide effective processes to obtain from such enamines enantiomerically enriched amines. Other objects will be apparent upon reading the disclosure that follows.